KISD improves budget woes

Kilgore school district is still looking for ways to reduce the deficit budget for the 2008/2009 school year.

In the last budget meeting, Revard Pfeffer, business manager for KISD reported the district is facing a deficit budget of $249,213 for the upcoming school year.

However at last night's budget meeting, Pfeffer reported the deficit has been trimmed to to $158,329, down $90,884 from two weeks ago. "This is mostly due to the elimination of three paraprofessional positions out of the general fund," said Pfeffer. "These positions are now being funded by a grant the district recently obtained.

Pfeffer went on to tell the board of trustees that the budget was also amended to give bus drivers a 35 cent an hour raise for the upcoming budget year.

The school cafeteria budget was also discussed. The district expects the cafeterias to run $94,642 in the red in the upcoming school year.

Pfeffer said three factors affecting this number: new equipment purchased for the Chandler Cafeteria expansion, rising food costs and federal reimbursement rates not keeping up with those rising costs.

The school board recently voted to raise the cost of their school breakfasts and lunches. Pfeffer said KISD will now charge $1.25 for elementary school breakfast and a $1.50 for middle and high school breakfast. Pfeffer went on to say lunches will cost $1.50 at the elementary schools and $1.75 for middle and high school lunches. "In the budget I have estimated a six percent increase for the cost of commodities," said Pfeffer. "However, industry estimates are nine to 15 percent increases."

KISD hopes more students will buy their lunch in the cafeteria this year. The number of meals sold is affected by students bringing their lunch and pizza deliveries.

Earlier this year Jody Clements, superintendent, changed the district policy on pizza. Beginning at the start of the new school year, there will be no pizza deliveries at KISD campuses. "This is due to staff having to take time away from their duties to hand out pizzas," said Clements. "If parents want to bring their students a pizza that is all right but they will have to deliver it to the student personally."

KISD now provides free meals for employees as an incentive or "perk" which cost the district $78,329.25 last school year.

Terry George, president of the KISD board of trustees, said he would like to keep this incentive in place for the upcoming school year.

School trustees will set a tax rate for the district at their next regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, July 22. By all indications from the board during budget discussions, the tax rate will not change for the upcoming school year. That meeting begins in thed district administration building at 6 p.m.